


Happiness- Flowers or Brendon?

by grapenight



Category: Panic! at the Disco
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-18
Updated: 2013-01-18
Packaged: 2017-11-25 22:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/643529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grapenight/pseuds/grapenight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan works in a flower shop and Brendon makes his day better. This is a light little story, nothing deep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiness- Flowers or Brendon?

Ryan worked in a flower shop. He loved his job, no matter how much Spencer teased him about it. How could someone not like their job when It involved spending your entire work day with flowers? He loved when someone walked into the shop and instantly got happier. He also like how some people, usually men, but not always, would walk in and get a totally overwhelmed look on their face. They were usually just looking for a gift and really had no idea. 

All of this was wonderful to Ryan. Sometimes, though, even in his job, things happened that he hated. Maybe a promising bunch of flowers fail, or a little kid would have an accident in the middle of the store (this had actually happened a couple times, it was never fun to clean up). Out of everything, though, the worst thing was always when someone was excessively mean to him. He had always been smaller than everyone else his age, adulthood hadn't changed that, and he was always pretty open with his sexuality. The two didn't mix well. 

Whenever he got made fun of at work, it made him feel just like a scrawny high school boy again. He kind of expected them to try and steal his lunch money. Not that it happened awful, now, but still, some people never seem to mature. And after it did happen, as rare as it was, it always ruined his day. 

Today was one of those days. A customer twice his size had come into the store, and when Ryan offered assistance, the guy had gotten made and said, "I don't need any help from a fag like you." 

That was all it had taken for Ryan to crumble. He just went into the backroom and curled in a ball, letting his coworker handle the customers for the next twenty minutes. He knew it was silly to let a little comment like that affect him so much, but it still hurt. 

He finally returned to his work, but he was noticeably less cheerful. Even the brightest of the flowers couldn't change his mood. 

When he returned to his apartment later that day, his roommate and childhood best friend Spencer saw what a bad mood he was in as soon as he walked in the door. Spencer didn't know what exactly was bothering Ryan, but he knew enough about his friend to know he needed cheering up. And he knew just the thing to help. 

He pulled Ryan from his room, where he had hid into as soon as he got home, saying, "Come on, Ry. We're going out from coffee. No complaints, last week I listened to your hour long rant about the last book you read. You owe me." 

Ryan pouted, but went along with it nonetheless. He would do almost anything for Spencer, even when he was in such an awful mood. He liked the coffee shop anyways, it was owned by a friend of theirs, Jon, and he was a cool guy. Ryan didn't have many friends, but the friends he did have were all very good friends. They were his family. 

The coffee shop also had such a nice feel to it. It made Ryan want to settle down and read a great book. Or listen to a new CD. Mostly just drink coffee and drown in the warmth and pure coziness of the shop. He couldn't be that way today though, no, he was moping. 

Spencer decided that they'd walk there today, hoping the sun would knock a little happiness into Ryan. It wasn't a long walk and soon enough the were entering the little building. 

"Hi! How can I help you? Have you been here before? Do you have, like, a regular order? Oh no, should I know what it I? Am I going have to remember what everyone wants? Jon, Jon, I don't know if I'll be able to do that." Ryan was immediately interesting in the overly excited, unfamiliar voice in the shop. He knew everyone that worked for Jon, so this kid had to be new. Well, and he also acted very new. 

He was just a little shorted than Ryan and maybe just a bit bigger than his skinny frame, with a sweeping mop of dark hair around his head. He had dark eyes to match his hair, along with a nice nose and full lips, all arranged on his face wonderfully. Genetics had definitely treated this boy very well. 

Ryan wasn't checking him out, he was just appreciating the beauty, although he couldn't help but notice that boy couldn't be that much younger than him. 

His train of thoughts was broken when he saw Jon enter from the backroom. "Brendon, you're doing good, just don't freak out. And luckily for you, these are some friends of mine, so they really can't complain if you do mess up. Hey guys," Jon said to Ryan and Spencer with a wave, "This is Brendon, he just started here today, he's a little nervous. And not allowed to have more than one cup of something with caffeine in it per day. I had to learn that he gets really hyper the hard way." 

"I'm sorry, Jon!" Brendon said, smiling and not seeming sorry at all. "So what can I get you guys?" 

Ryan went back to staring at the floor, after remembering he's supposed to be sad, not amused by Jon's new employee. Spencer took things into his own hands and ordered their usual drinks. Ryan went and sat at a table in the corner. 

He watched Brendon chat with Jon and Spencer while they waited for their drinks. Somehow, even though he met Spencer five minutes prior, already seems to be friends with Spencer. And he treated Jon like an old pal. The kid must just be naturally comfortable with people. 

Spencer walked to Ryan's table a couple minutes later, pushing a drink into Ryan's eager hands. "We're going to dinner with Jon and Brendon tonight, a little congratulations to Brendon for successfully completing his first day of work. It'll be fun." 

Ryan knew he would find it fun, under normal circumstances. But after the awful day of work, he just really didn't feel up to it. He wasn't going to say anything to Spencer, though, no need to cause problems. Just because he had a shit day didn't mean he had to go ruin everyone else's. 

That's how Ryan ended up in a buffet an hour later. It was apparently Brendon's favorite restaurant, ever, and the only one in his home town had closed a few years prior. 

Brendon leaned to whisper in Ryan's ear after saying that. "I've already been here three times since I got into town a week ago. But shhh, don't tell Jon, it's a secret." 

At that, Jon said, "Brendon, what are you doing? Don't bother poor Ryan." 

"Jon! How dare you accuse me of something like that! I was having telling him a secret!" Brendon said, leaving Ryan's side and attaching to Jon's. Ryan didn't point out how he didn't mind, because he probably should have. 

In the booth, Ryan sat near the window, with Spencer beside him and Brendon across from him. Conversation flowed surprisingly well, considering they didn't know Brendon very well. Ryan even had to join it a few times. 

At one point, both Spencer and Jon had went up for more food, leaving Brendon and Ryan alone at the table. 

Brendon gave Ryan a scrutinizing look. "Spencer told me were sad. Well, he said you were being a depressing son of a bitch, but you know, same thing. What's wrong, if you don't mind me asking?" 

Ryan sighed and couldn't lie to Brendon's big open eyes. "Just, had a bad day at work today. Reminded me of high school, and those definitely aren't days I want to live over again, you know?" 

Brendon nodded. "I know what you mean. I was a Mormon kid in public school. Fresh bait, you know? I was also a little bit hyper for my own good. I just didn't like being stuck in a school all day. It's not my idea of a fun time. Thank god I'm done. Where do you work?" 

"A flower shop. It's a great job as long as judgmental asses aren't there, you know? I love my job, but some people still don't understand making other people feel like crap does nothing to help themselves," Ryan said, almost surprising himself. 

"You seem to have a good understanding of things, though. There's got to be more people like you out there, shouldn't there be? Nice, level headed people." Brendon said with a smile. 

Ryan blushed and said, "Thank you. You seem pretty good yourself." 

"Oh, I am, don't worry. I'm good in so many ways. Like playing the tambourine. It's a special talent of mine." 

Ryan burst out laughing at that. It was definitely not what he had expected, it had taken him completely off guard. 

Brendon took up a look of mock offense. "Do you not believe me? Do you doubt my superior tambourine playing ways? How dare you! I'll show you, just wait, you'll be blown away. I'll make the tambourine my bitch right in front of you." 

At that Ryan had to laugh even more, it was even more ridiculous. 

Jon and Spencer returned to the table while Ryan was still laughing. 

"Jon!" Brendon exclaimed. "Ryan doubts my amazing tambourine playing!" 

Jon ruffled his hair as he sat down, "Sorry, kid. Ryan here has seen some pretty good tambourine skills, you'd have to at a high level to truly impress him." 

Brendon pouted. "I can do it. Just you wait." 

"I've never seen someone take Ryan out of a bad mood so easily. We need to keep you around," Spencer informed Brendon. 

Ryan, who had finally stopped laughing, knocked Spencer's shoulder and said pointedly, "At least I didn't spend three days in my bedroom, not showering, mind you, after a girl broke up with him." 

"Yeah, that's because you'd never date a girl in the first place," Spencer teased back. 

"Oh ha ha. That's what I was upset about anyways. A guy today in the store called me a fag, all I did was try to help him find what he was looking for. He was probably getting something to apologize for cheating or something like that. And I'm the one who gets called bad names." 

There was a few moments of uncomfortable silence before the subject was changed. The rest of the dinned passed with no weird moments. Ryan was surprised at how well the seemed to all get along. 

As they were leaving, Jon invites them all back to his place for awhile. Spencer says yes for himself and Ryan, not even bothering to ask what Ryan wanted. Brendon agreed in no and, and then spent the walk to Jon's house talking to Ryan. The amazing part was that he actually made Ryan laugh. 

"But dude, I'm not even kidding, this kid loved snakes, and one year our band director made the mistake of having us play a song dedicated to snakes, no really, and the kid spent the next couple months freaking out," Brendon was saying as the walked up to Jon's apartment. 

"But no one really loves snakes, do they? They just creep everyone out," Ryan replied. 

Brendon stopped in his tracks and looked around. Then he let out a sigh of relief and said, "Oh, you're so lucky he didn't pop out of no where and beat your ass, I kind of thought if I ever said anything bad about snakes he come and kill me. But yeah, be careful what you say, some people are sensitive on weird subjects." 

Ryan laughed and shook his head. "You're such a dork, and I just met you. What do people you've known your whole life think of you?" 

"They're all sick and tired of me. They made me move so far away from home. I had no choice, nope, I was just shoved out the door," Brendon retorted with a smile. They were in Jon's apartment then, and Spencer decided they were going to watch a movie. 

Brendon leaned into Ryan and whispered, "I kind of feel like we're high school girls, and Spencer's the leader of our little clique. We don't get a choice, or we'll be sitting at the nerd table." 

Ryan and Brendon both cracked up at that, it was just the perfect description of Spencer. Spencer glared at them and barked a, "What?" at them, which didn't help to stop their laughter. Soon, Jon was laughing too, which just left Spencer glaring at them. 

"Fine," Spencer said as he walked to the couch in the living room, "I guess none of you get to sit on the couch with me." 

At that Jon stopped laughing and ran to the recliner beside the couch, the only other seat in the room. 

Ryan watched all this with an amused look. "Guess we're sitting at the nerd table together, huh?" He whispered to Brendon, which only provoked another fit of laughter. 

"You guys are freaks, and we're starting the movie without you," Spencer called from where he was completely laid out on the couch. They decided that was a good time to join Jon and Spencer. 

Ryan sat in front of the couch, on the floor, and Brendon followed suit. About ten minutes through the movie Brendon scooted closer to Ryan. A few minute later he leaned against him. And twenty minutes after they had sat down, Brendon was completely cuddled against Ryan. "You weren't very discreet right there." 

Brendon smiled up to Ryan and countered, "You didn't try to stop me." 

It was true, Ryan actually really liked having Brendon right beside him. It felt very nice, all of Brendon's warmth, and just having someone there. By that point Ryan had completely forgotten about his bad day. 

His last thoughts before he fell asleep that night, on Jon's living room floor, were that he wouldn't mind having Brendon around again. 

 

Ryan woke up the next morning stiff and surprisingly well rested. And, after he recalled what happened the night before, Brendonless. It kind of sucked, but hey, the kid had his own life he had to get to and everything. He probably didn't want to waste time sleeping on the floor of his boss. For all Ryan knew he had to get home to a girlfriend. 

Ryan says his goodbyes to Jon, and leaves Spencer sleeping on the couch. Then he goes home and gets dressed before going to work. 

The flowers made Ryan smile, like they do most of the time. He didn't even think about what had happened the day before in the shop as he did his morning duties. He noticed how nice some of the Iris were looking, and helped out the occasional customer. 

It was a relatively slow day, being a Tuesday morning, so Ryan started reading a book he's thought to bring with him. He so immersed in his reading that he didn't even notice a customer walk in until they were standing right in front of him. 

Ryan looked up from his book and mumbled, "How can I help, oh, Brendon, hey!" 

Brendon stood in front of him, with a smile and look of total happiness on his face. "Hi, Ryan. So, okay, when asking a girl out, flowers work really well, I learned that as a kid." 

Ryan heart sunk in his chest at the words, but he schooled a mask of interest on his face. He could help any sucker find some flowers for a girl. He'll just have to overlook the fact that he was beginning to develop a crush on this sucker. Most people would think being gay gives you an ultimate gaydar, but Ryan was obviously evidence that it didn't work like that. It sure would help, Ryan thought, because it's so much better to find out sooner rather than later. All Ryan said aloud was, "Uh huh." 

Brendon continued, "As I got older I found out much in the same way that when asking a guy out, flowers don't work, at all. I actually got a lecture one time that just because he liked cock didn't mean he was actually a girl. That's not important right now, though, so I'll move on." 

Ryan's previously sunken heart imploded at those words. Was this going where Ryan though it was? He couldn't even control the look of his face anymore, it perfectly conveyed his confusion. 

"But then I though, why not give it a try. I mean, the guy works in a flower shop, it probably work with him better than anyone, right?" With those words Brendon pulled out a couple of tulips that Ryan could remember being in the shop just the day before. Brendon smiled hopefully and said, "I hope getting you flowers from your own shop before you came in this morning isn't completely awful. I figured you'd be offended if I got them anywhere else. So, Ryan Ross, I found out your last name from Spencer, by the way, he really likes me, thinks I'm good for you, and isn't a best friend recommendation enough? Anyways, will you maybe go one some dates with me? The when you find out how hopelessly in love with me you are we could be boyfriends, does that sound good?" 

Ryan smiled and remembered what Jon had said about Brendon and coffee yesterday. he was guessing by how hyper Brendon was that he had more than one cup of it. Some people might have found this little detail annoying, but Ryan thought it was really cute. 

"I would love too," Ryan answered, watching Brendon's face light up. He handed the flowers to Ryan, and Ryan examined them for a second before lightly setting them down. He had more important things to be doing. 

He pulled Brendon in for a sweet kiss. It was their first, in the flower shop, and Ryan couldn't have thought of a better place for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, fic number two! I'm excited. I'm not sure how I feel about this one... Hopefully someone likes it! I think I'll get better the more I write. This one was definitely easier to get out. Oh, and I might be writing one related to this one! I have some ideas!


End file.
